Texas Border Business
By DAVID A. DÍAZ
For the second straight month, Edinburg and McAllen were the only two major Valley cities which posted unemployment rates under six percent, the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation has announced.
The unemployment rate is a key indicator of the strength of the local economy.
For the month of July 2017, the latest figures available from the Texas Workforce Commission, Edinburg had an unemployment rate of 5.7 percent, which was an improvement from June 2017, which came in at 5.9 percent.
This latest data also showed that Edinburg saw a growth of 492 jobs when comparing the monthly totals of July 2017 (36,037)and July 2016 (35,545), according to the Edinburg EDC.
Edinburg and McAllen, which posted an unemployment rate of 5.2 percent, compared favorably with other large population centers in the Valley, which reported unemployment rates ranging from 6.5 percent (Harlingen) to 9 percent (Weslaco).
During 2017, Edinburg has recorded one of the lowest unemployment rates among Valley cities in April and May, and came in with the second-lowest unemployment rates during the other months in 2017 through July.
McAllen, which came in with a 5.4 percent unemployment in May 2017, tied Edinburg for the best showing for that month.
For the past several years, Edinburg has registered the lowest or second-lowest monthly unemployment rate among all Valley cities.
The July 2017 numbers are based on preliminary figures released on Friday, August 18, 2017, by the Texas Workforce Commission.
The continued growth of jobs in Edinburg is independently documented by the Texas Workforce Commission, a state agency with many key duties, such as maintaining and reporting on key trends in state and local economies, including unemployment rates and the number of people employed in cities.
The Edinburg EDC, of which Agustín García is Executive Director, is the jobs-creation arm of the Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council.
The Edinburg EDC Board of Directors is comprised of Mayor Richard García as President, Harvey Rodríguez, Jr. as Vice President, Elías Longoria, Jr. as Secretary/Treasurer, and Richard Ruppert and Dr. Peter Dabrowski as Members.
Mayor Richard García and Edinburg EDC Executive Director Agustín García are not related.
The unemployment rate is the number of persons unemployed, expressed as a percentage of the civilian labor force, according to the Texas Workforce Commission. The civilian labor force is that portion of the population age 16 and older employed or unemployed. To be considered unemployed, a person has to be not working but willing and able to work and actively seeking work.
Edinburg’s July 2017 unemployment rate of 5.7 percent is part of a consistent pattern of positive reports, including June 2017 (5.9), May 2017 (5.4 percent), April 2017 (5.4 percent), March 2017 (6 percent), February 2017 (6.4 percent) and January 2017 (6.2 percent).
According to the Texas Workforce Commission, for the month of July 2017, these are the employment figures for the seven largest cities in the Valley:
Brownsville: 70,518
McAllen: 60,007
Edinburg: 36,037
Mission: 31,009
Pharr: 27,063
Harlingen: 23,292
Weslaco: 13,883
CITY’S MONTHLY, ANNUAL UNEMPLOYMENT REMAIN AMONG BEST IN VALLEY
Edinburg’s July 2017 unemployment rate and the latest figures from the Valley’s most populated cities follow:
McAllen: 5.2 percent
Edinburg: 5.7 percent
Harlingen: 6.5 percent
Mission: 7.0 percent
Brownsville: 7.4 percent
Pharr: 8.5 percent
Weslaco: 9.0 percent
The state’s unemployment rate in July 2017 was 4.3 percent, compared with 5.1 percent, compared with 5 percent in July 2016.
The U.S. unemployment rate in July 2017 was 4.3 percent, compared with 4.9 percent the same month the previous year, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (https://data.bls.gov/timeseries/LNS14000000)
Edinburg’s annual unemployment rate for 2016 compared favorably with the Valley’s other major cities:
The annual unemployment rate in McAllen for 2016 was 5.4 percent;
The annual unemployment rate in Edinburg for 2016 was 5.9 percent;
The annual unemployment rate in Harlingen for 2o16 was 6.1 percent;
The annual unemployment rate in Mission for 2o16 was 7.4 percent;
The annual unemployment rate in Brownsville for 2o16 was 7.8 percent;
The annual unemployment rate in Weslaco for 2o16 was 8.1 percent;
The annual unemployment rate in Pharr for 2o16 was 8.3 percent.
Edinburg’s annual unemployment rates since 2005, which is the year in which the state government began preparing those figures using a more accurate formula, according to the Texas Workforce Commission, have registered as follows: 2016 (5.9); 2015 (5) percent), 2014 (5.8 percent), 2013 (6.9 percent), 2012 (7.5 percent), 2011 (8.4 percent), 2010 (8.2 percent), 2009 (6.8 percent), 2008 (4.9 percent), 2007 (4.7 percent), 2006 (5.2 percent), and 2005 (4.9 percent).
Edinburg’s 2017 employment, by month, follows:
July: 36,037
June: 36,601
May: 36,856
April: 36,909
March: 36,862
February: 36,621
January: 36,246
Also according to the Texas Workforce Commission, the major cities in the four-county Valley have recorded the following monthly unemployment rates in 2017, 2016, and 2015:
McALLEN
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2017:
July: 5.2 percent
June: 5.7 percent
May: 5.4 percent
April: 5.6 percent
March: 6 percent
February: 6.2 percent
January: 5.9 percent
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2016:
December: 5.4 percent
November: 5.2 percent
October: 5.3 percent
September: 5.7 percent
August: 5.9 percent
July: 6 percent
June: 5.8 percent
May: 5 percent
April: 5 percent
March: 5.1 percent
February: 5.1 percent
January: 5.3 percent
2016 Annual Unemployment Rate: 5.4 percent
Monthly Unemployment Rate 2015
December: 4.5 percent
November: 4.8 percent
October: 4.9 percent
September: 5.1 percent
August: 5.2 percent
July: 5.6 percent
June: 5.4 percent
May: 4.9 percent
April: 4.5 percent
March: 4.7 percent
February: 4.9 percent
January: 5.2 percent
2015 Annual Unemployment Rate: 5 percent
••••••
EDINBURG
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2017
July: 5.7 percent
June: 5.9 percent
May: 5.4 percent
April: 5.4 percent
March: 6 percent
February: 6.4
January: 6.2 percent
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2016
December: 5.9 percent
November: 5.7 percent
October: 5.8 percent
September: 6.3 percent
August: 6.3 percent
July 2016: 6.5 percent
June 2016: 6.5 percent
May 2016: 5.4 percent
April 2016: 5.5 percent
March 2016: 5.6 percent
February 2016: 5.5 percent
January 2016: 5.8 percent
2016 Annual Unemployment Rate: 5.9 percent
Monthly Unemployment Rate 2015:
December: 4.7 percent
November: 4.7 percent
October: 4.9 percent
September: 5 percent
August: 5.4 percent
July: 5.7 percent
June: 5.5 percent
May: 5 percent
April: 4.6 percent
March: 4.8 percent
February: 4.9 percent
January: 5.2 percent
2015 Annual Unemployment Rate: 5 percent
••••••
HARLINGEN
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2017:
July: 6.5 percent
June: 7 percent
May: 6.6 percent
April: 6.9 percent
March: 7.4 percent
February: 7.5 percent
January: 7 percent
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2016:
December: 6.2 percent
November: 6.1 percent
October: 6.4 percent
September: 6.4 percent
August: 6.5 percent
July 2016: 6.3 percent
June 2016: 6.3 percent
May 2016: 5.7 percent
April 2016: 5.7 percent
March 2016: 5.8 percent
February 2016: 5.9 percent
January 2016: 5.9 percent
2016 Annual Unemployment Rate: 6.1
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2015:
December: 5.3 percent
November: 5.6 percent
October: 5.7 percent
September: 5.9 percent
August: 6.3 percent
July: 6.5 percent
June: 6.4 percent
May: 5.9 percent
April: 5.6 percent
March: 5.7 percent
February: 6 percent
January: 6.5 percent
2015 Annual Unemployment Rate: 6 percent
••••••
MISSION
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2017
July: 7.0 percent
June: 7.5 percent
May: 6.7 percent
April: 7.3 percent
March: 7.9 percent
February: 8.1 percent
January: 8.3 percent
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2016
December: 7.4 percent
November: 7.1 percent
October: 6.9 percent
September: 7.2 percent
August: 7.5 percent
July: 7.9 percent
June: 7.9 percent
May: 6.9 percent
April: 7.1 percent
March: 7.4 percent
February: 7.4 percent
January: 7.7 percent
2016 Annual Unemployment Rate: 7.4 percent
Monthly Unemployment Rate 2015
December: 6.1 percent
November: 6.1 percent
October: 6.1 percent
September: 6.1 percent
August: 6.5 percent
July: 6.7 percent
June: 6.7 percent
May: 6.1 percent
April: 5.7 percent
March: 5.8 percent
February: 6 percent
January: 6.5 percent
2015 Annual Unemployment Rate: 6.2 percent
••••••
BROWNSVILLE
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2017
July: 7.4 percent
June: 8.3 percent
May: 7.2 percent
April: 7.9 percent
March: 8.2 percent
February: 8.7 percent
January: 8.8 percent
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2016
December: 8.1 percent
November: 7.7 percent
October: 7.5 percent
September 2016: 8.1 percent
August 2016: 8.3 percent
July 2016: 8.5 percent
June: 8.6 percent
May: 7.2 percent
April: 7.2 percent
March: 7.3 percent
February: 7.3 percent
January 2016: 7.6 percent
2016 Annual Unemployment Rate: 7.8 percent
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2015
December: 6.9 percent
November: 6.9 percent
October: 6.5 percent
September: 6.6 percent
August: 7 percent
July: 7.2 percent
June: 7.2 percent
May: 6.7 percent
April: 6.6 percent
March: 7.2 percent
February: 7.3 percent
January: 8 percent
2015 Annual Unemployment Rate: 7 percent
••••••
PHARR
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2017
July: 8.5 percent
June: 9.4 percent
May: 8.2 percent
April: 8.6 percent
March: 9.3 percent
February: 9.4 percent
January: 9.9 percent
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2016
December 2016: 8.9 percent
November 2016: 8 percent
October 2016: 7.2 percent
September: 8.1 percent
August 2016: 8.7 percent
July 2016: 9 percent
June 2016: 9.2 percent
May 2016: 7.5 percent
April 2016: 7.8 percent
March 2016: 8.1 percent
February 2o16: 8.3 percent
January 2016: 8.9 percent
2016 Annual Unemployment Rate: 8.3 percent
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2015
December: 7.2 percent
November: 7 percent
October: 6.4 percent
September: 6.6 percent
August: 7.3 percent
July: 7.6 percent
June: 7.4 percent
May: 6.4 percent
April: 6.2 percent
March: 6.5 percent
February: 6.9 percent
January: 7.7 percent
2015 Annual Unemployment Rate: 6.9 percent
••••••
WESLACO
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2017
July: 9.0 percent
June: 9.2 percent
May: 7.8 percent
April: 7.8 percent
March: 8.3 percent
February: 8.8 percent
January: 9.8 percent
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2016
December 2016: 9.7 percent
November 2016: 8.3 percent
October 2016: 6.7 percent
September 2016: 8.2 percent
August 2016: 8.8 percent
July 2016: 9.3 percent
June 2016: 8.9 percent
May 2016: 6.9 percent
April 2016: 7 percent
March: 7.8 percent
February 2016: 7.6 percent
January 2016: 8.5 percent.
2016 Annual Unemployment Rate: 8.1 percent.
Monthly Unemployment Rate 2015
December: 6.8 percent
November: 6.5 percent
October: 5.8 percent
September: 6.6 percent
August: 6.8 percent
July: 6.6 percent
June: 6.3 percent
May: 6 percent
April: 5.7 percent
March: 6 percent
February: 6.5 percent
January: 7.3 percent
2015 Annual Unemployment Rate: 6.4 percent
••••••
ADDITIONAL REGIONAL ECONOMIC STATISTICS
Also according to the Texas Workforce Commission, the four counties in the Rio Grande Valley have recorded the following monthly unemployment rates in 2017, 2016, and 2015:
HIDALGO COUNTY
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2017
July: 9.0 percent
June: 8.3 percent
May: 7.5 percent
April: 8 percent
March: 8.5 percent
February: 8.8 percent
January: 9 percent
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2016
December: 8.2 percent
November: 7.6 percent
October: 7.1 percent
September: 7.9 percent
August: 8.3 percent
July: 8.5 percent
June: 8.4 percent
May: 7.1 percent
April: 7.3 percent
March: 7.7 percent
February: 7.8 percent
January: 8.2 percent
The annual combined unemployment rate for all cities in Hidalgo County for 2o16 was 7.8 percent.
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2015
December: 7.9 percent
November: 7.8 percent
October: 7.4 percent
September: 7.7 percent
August: 8.2 percent
July: 8.5 percent
June: 8.4 percent
May: 7.6 percent
April: 7.4 percent
March: 7.7 percent
February: 8 percent
January: 8.5 percent
The annual combined unemployment rate for all cities in Hidalgo County for 2o15 was 7.9 percent.
••••••
CAMERON COUNTY
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2017
July: 7.0 percent
June: 7.8 percent
May: 7 percent
April: 7.5 percent
March: 7.9 percent
February: 8.3 percent
January: 8.1 percent
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2016
December: 7.4 percent
November: 7 percent
October: 6.9 percent
September: 7.4 percent
August: 7.5 percent
July: 7.7 percent
June: 7.8 percent
May: 6.7 percent
April: 6.8 percent
March: 7 percent
February: 7 percent
January: 7.2 percent
The annual combined unemployment rate for all cities in Cameron County for 2o16 was 7.2 percent.
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2015
December: 6.8 percent
November: 6.9 percent
October: 6.7 percent
September: 6.8 percent
August: 7.1 percent
July: 7.4 percent
June: 7.5 percent
May: 6.9 percent
April: 6.8 percent
March: 7.2 percent
February: 7.4 percent
January: 8 percent
The annual combined unemployment rate in Cameron County for 2o15 was 7.1 percent.
Also for July 2017, there were 308,159 individuals employed in Hidalgo County, while 155,748 persons were employed in Cameron County during the same month.
••••••
STARR COUNTY
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2017
July: 11.3 percent
June: 12.6 percent
May: 11.9 percent
April: 14 percent
March: 14.9 percent
February: 15.6 percent
January: 15.8 percent
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2016
December: 14.1 percent
November: 13 percent
October: 12.2 percent
September: 13.4 percent
August: 13.9 percent
July: 14.3 percent
June: 14.2 percent
May: 12.5 percent
April: 13.5 percent
March: 14.3 percent
February: 13.9 percent
January: 14.2 percent
The annual combined unemployment rate for all cities in Starr County for 2o16 was 13.6 percent.
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2015
December: 13.4 percent
November: 13.4 percent
October: 12.6 percent
September: 12.6 percent
August: 13.6 percent
July: 14.1 percent
June: 14.2 percent
May: 13 percent
April: 13 percent
March: 13.7 percent
February: 13.8 percent
January: 14.4 percent
The annual combined unemployment rate in Starr County for 2o15 was 13.5 percent.
••••••
WILLACY COUNTY
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2017
July: 11.7 percent
June: 12.6 percent
May: 12.3 percent
April: 13.3 percent
March: 13.3 percent
February: 13.2 percent
January: 12.7 percent
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2016
December: 11.2 percent
November: 11.1 percent
October: 11.2 percent
September: 12.2 percent
August: 12.8 percent
July: 13.8 percent
June: 13.8 percent
May: 12.4 percent
April: 12.3 percent
March: 12.5 percent
February: 12.4 percent
January: 12.6 percent
The annual combined unemployment rate for all cities in Willacy County for 2o16 was 12.4 percent.
Monthly Unemployment Rate, 2015
December: 12.1 percent
November: 12.6 percent
October: 12.9 percent
September: 12.5 percent
August: 13.7 percent
July: 14.3 percent
June: 14.6 percent
May: 13.5 percent
April: 13.4 percent
March: 13.2 percent
February: 11.7 percent
January: 12.1 percent
The annual combined unemployment rate for all cities in Willacy County for 2o15 was 13 percent.
For July 2017, there were 22,397 individuals employed in Starr County, while during the same month, 5,436 persons were employed in Willacy County.
MORE DETAILED FIGURES ON NUMBER OF JOBS, UNEMPLOYMENT RATES FOR EDINBURG
More detailed information about the labor market and unemployment rates in Edinburg follows:
Edinburg 2016 Employment, By Month
December: 36,476
November: 36,287
October: 36,139
September 2016: 36,038
August 2016: 35,812
July 2016: 35,545
June 2016: 36,234
May 2016: 36,529
April 2016: 36,494
March 2016: 36,340
February 2016: 36,017
January 2016: 35,675
Edinburg 2015 Employment, By Month
December: 35,837
November: 35,803
October: 35,490
September: 35,225
August: 35,025
July: 34,978
June: 35,634
May: 36,029
April: 35,790
March: 35,665
February: 35,416
January: 35,308
Edinburg 2014 Employment, By Month
December 2014: 35,501
November 2014: 35,542
October 2014: 35,456
September 2014: 35,080
August 2014: 34,681
July 2014: 34,583
June 2014: 35,295
May 2014: 35,495
April 2014: 35,462
March 2014: 35,301
February 2014: 35,204
January 2014: 35,053
Edinburg 2013 Employment, By Month
December: 35,071
November: 34,824
October: 34,364
September: 34,291
August: 33,942
July: 33,735
June: 34,333
May: 34,504
April: 34,568
March: 34,241
February: 34,196
January: 34,111
Edinburg Monthly Unemployment Rates, 2014
December: 4.7 percent
November: 5.2 percent
October: 5.5 percent
September: 5.7 percent
August: 6.4 percent
July: 6.6 percent
June: 6.5 percent
May: 5.8 percent
April: 5.3 percent
March: 5.9 percent
February: 6.2 percent
January: 6.3 percent
Annual Unemployment Rate: 5.8 percent
Edinburg Monthly Unemployment Rates, 2013
December: 6.1 percent
November: 6.4 percent
October: 7 percent
September: 6.9 percent
August: 7.2 percent
July: 7.5 percent
June: 7.6 percent
May: 6.9 percent
April: 6.4 percent
March: 6.8 percent
February: 7.1 percent
January: 7.3 percent
Annual Unemployment Rate: 6.9 percent.
Because of substantial methodology changes between 2004 and 2005 in estimating city unemployment statistics, Texas city data is not available prior to 2005, according to the Texas Workforce Commission.
Because of substantial methodology changes in geographic areas below the state level, data from 2005 and 2004 or earlier is not considered comparable, the state agency explains.
Effective in March 2015, the TWC also notes that “for all sub-state LAUS estimates, a break in series exists between December 2009 and January 2010 due to a change in methodology used. The use of caution is advised when comparing data from prior to 2010 to that of 2010-present.
The Texas Workforce Commission data on all entities in the state, including cities and counties, is available online at:
UT SYSTEM BOARD OF REGENTS APPROVE $20 MILLION FOR UTRGV SCHOOL OF MEDICINE’S SECOND COHORT, CLASS OF 2021
The University of Texas System Board of Regents has reinforced its commitment to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine by approving $20 million in Permanent University Funds (PUF) for capital expenses.
The Edinburg Mayor and Edinburg City Council, along with the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation and its Board of Directors, lobby the Texas Legislature and the UT System Board of Regents on matters that benefit and protect UTRGV in Edinburg and its School of Medicine, which have major campuses in the city.
The action took place in Austin, where the board of regents met on Wednesday, August 23, 2017 and Thursday, August 24, 2017.
“We are grateful to the Board of Regents for its continued support of the UTRGV School of Medicine,” said Dr. John Krouse, dean of the UTRGV School of Medicine and vice president for Health Affairs.
“This allocation will enable the School of Medicine to become a leader in research that will benefit the Rio Grande Valley and beyond, and prepare the next generation of physicians who will provide exceptional care to the communities they serve,” he said.
The $20 million in PUF bond proceeds is part of the $100 million the Board of Regents approved in December 2012 for start-up costs for the School of Medicine. Of that $100 million, the board previously had approved $30 million in PUF, leaving $50 million available for the School of Medicine.
Permanent University Funds can only be used for capital expenses, such as the purchase of equipment and construction projects.
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